8 April 2008

If you're browsing your readers and looking for dinner ideas or something that will rock your foodie world move on quickly. I say quickly...!!!! This is not the post for you. What is for you, or perhaps for me, is a jaunt down memory lane through my childhood. The ever industrious Ben of What's Cooking -US has a monthly event Food for Plastic. I can only imagine what wonderful foods conger up memories from his childhood growing up with a family who owned a Mexican restaurant. Ben also sells Tupperware and this month Tupperware will be donating some of the profits from its sales to the Boys and Girls Clubs.

As soon as I read this months challenge was Food for Kids I immediately thought of Haystacks. It is not a prizewinning recipe or even anything with a culinary challenge, but, it is what immediately comes to mind when I think of my childhood. I remember my moms flaky cherry pie crusts, my dads homemade bread slathered in peanut butter, potato fritters, Yorkshire Pudding and dipping in the pool after eating mountains of corn on the cob. But even after all that Haystacks still came back as the one food I associate with my childhood.

In our pantry there was always cocoa, oats and coconut, so, if ever we were craving something sweet , with very little preparation and (what mom loved the most) very little mess, this was always what we crowded around the stove to prepare. Usually my sister and I would take turns melting the butter and cocoa in a big pot. My brothers were outside torturing the neighbourhood cats or cruising the streets in their go carts. When we were very little stirring in the oats and coconut was a job for mom. There would always be 2 spoons so each of us would be able to have a lick as well. Perhaps a part of the joy was taking turns around the stove and accomplishing something together. Oh happy days!!!!!!

The tradition was passed along to my own daughter whose little face I remember covered in chocolate. My daughter is not a huge fan of sweets, so, we didn't make it as often as we did when I was a kid. We were more likely to make fruit Popsicles.

So if your looking for something for a snack that is as uncomplicated as life should be or even something to make with the kids... then move on over to the haystack!!

You are reading this post on More Than Burnt Toast at http://morethanburnttoast.blogspot.com. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author/owner of More Than Burnt Toast. All rights reserved by Valerie Harrison.

31 comments:

Mmmmm...Love Haystacks. My grandmother used to make them. No one in my family likes coconut beside me and my hips and thighs would not appreciate me making them. Maybe I could sub the coconut for a chopped nut or something?

Finally a recipe and a name for these cookies! My mom never made them and I used to love to go to potlucks and cub scout banquets (for my brothers) at school because someone always brought these. I love them! Thank you!

LOL, I read haystacks and to me it meant fritos, chili, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, black olives, onions, salsa, sour cream....stacked one on top of another....then I get to your recipe and its a sweet treat! BUT it still sounds yummy just the same! Believe it of not, I have never had these before!

Oh gawd!!! These were always the first thing out for Christmas baking - except we called them Coconut Birds. I even had to make them for a diabetic which is a huge challenge since the sugar binds the whole thing together

Yum I LOVE these. My grandma would make them and roll them in coconut. She called them snowballs. I just compared your recipe to hers and it's almost identical except she uses 1 cup sugar and 3 cup oats. Now I want to go make some...

Aawwwhhh those old days! I also had a happy childhood Val! But never shared the kitchen with my mom!!! And my daughter doesn't really feel like cooking or playing in the kitchen... well, maybe when she gets older!

Never heard of Haystacks but the ingredients sound great and easy! Love the teddy bear in the back♥♥♥

I haven't heard of these before; they look terribly cute. The recipe is essentially the same as for an Aussie "chocolate crackle" but we use rice bubbles where you use oats, and put ours in paper patty pans.

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My blog More Than Burnt Toast has been my passion for almost 9 years and has evolved with me over time as I have gained confidence in the kitchen. Follow my travels through Italy and Greece one recipe at a time, upcoming cooking classes at local Okanagan wineries and restaurants, as well as daily experimentation in my own kitchen. Every day we should be excited about what we are eating even if it just means making use of a wonderful find at our local farmers market. I look forward to getting to know you.